DS23 IE DÉCAPOTABLE Record sale. . .

1973 Citroën DS23 IE Décapotable
Coachwork by Henri Chapron
Chassis no. DSFG 00FG0041
•The first of a mere three DS23 IE cars built by Chapron for 1973
•One of only four such examples with the top of the range 2.3-litre IE (fuel injected) engine

The Déesse has all the characteristics of one of those objects fallen from another universe that fed the mania for novelty in the eighteenth century and a similar mania expressed by modern science fiction: the Déesse is first and foremost the new Nautilus.

Price includes 15% buyer's premium plus VAT on that amount of 20%. So that accounts for 18% of the total price.
It came with a hood frame, but no hood. Vendor allowed 5,000Euro towards that.
Someone has to pick a fault in it. Headlight buckets Harrison? How about the spare tyre?

Pick fault? Gosh where to start, things that offend my eyes - the use of slotted screws on the front bumper and bonnet release - missing bolts that secure the headlight buckets both sides. . . I could go on (really) but the fitting of a cheap retro tyre as a spare agahhhhhhh!

Nice car, very rare but probably commanding a significant premium for it's pedigree (1 of 3 in this spec).

The Déesse has all the characteristics of one of those objects fallen from another universe that fed the mania for novelty in the eighteenth century and a similar mania expressed by modern science fiction: the Déesse is first and foremost the new Nautilus.

Price includes 15% buyer's premium plus VAT on that amount of 20%. So that accounts for 18% of the total price.
It came with a hood frame, but no hood. Vendor allowed 5,000Euro towards that.
Someone has to pick a fault in it. Headlight buckets Harrison? How about the spare tyre?

Thanks for asking David. No actually I'm happy with the colour of the headlight buckets. I reckon they look like they used to when I was a kid. Unlike the crappy yellowish hue most of the Aussie cars are now displaying.
Having said that I am not so sure that the driving lights below, even though they are Marshalls used to wear the emblem in the 70's on that model. This looks to me like a much later driving light. How do I know? When the "behind glass" driving lights came out with the 23 , I was 21, and absolutely in love with them. No one had made a mass produced car like that before.....

The Déesse has all the characteristics of one of those objects fallen from another universe that fed the mania for novelty in the eighteenth century and a similar mania expressed by modern science fiction: the Déesse is first and foremost the new Nautilus.

As a convertible, how much scuttle shake / torsional rigidity do they have?

I wonder if SAAB 900 convertibles will ever approach these dizzy heights? The SAAB roof is much better to look at than the DS setup and the front/rear balance looks better to my eye. And you get all of that for the cost of a few correct tyres for the DS.

As a convertible, how much scuttle shake / torsional rigidity do they have?

Something most of us will never need to worry about or experience, there is an interesting snip on the Italian 'ideesse' forum stating that the original Usine cabriolets were built on a specific chassis, not sedan or break and reinforced for the cabriolet. I hope they don't mind me quoting (google translation). . .

Originally Posted by Martini ideesse

It is also worth remembering (once more) that the chassis on which the Usine Cabriolet were fitted (and not!) Were SPECIFIC. They were not sedan frames, let alone Break, but special reinforced chassis made specifically to be set up as Cabriolet, which Citroën gave to Chapron both for its creations and for the fitting of the Usine Cabriolets (or those sold by the official network).

Curious then that this photo is made on the basis of a 23 Confort (one of the very first, for more) and not Pallas (as indeed that of '78 to which Marietto refers), while it is more normal that it does not have the second point of jack of the jack, present on the chassis made for the cabrio but obviously absent on the converted sedans.

The Déesse has all the characteristics of one of those objects fallen from another universe that fed the mania for novelty in the eighteenth century and a similar mania expressed by modern science fiction: the Déesse is first and foremost the new Nautilus.

I just remembered Citrohello's resto Chris posted on AF on the décapotable last year, really interesting to see them tackling the body and doors, but it just dropped off the site postings. Pity. That was a beautiful car. I saw a hard top Chapron at the 2005 Paris DS anniversary and it was incredible, they'd be worth even more than a softy.

All interesting, the carry-on about convertibles. I like them very much but of course all the DS variations are wonderful cars. The cabriolet is just one of them.
I’ve just registered our second ’68 Safari after many years of mucking about and the excitement of driving a “new addition” is as intense as it has ever been.
Michael just sold his French 1960 ID for $20,000 so it’s nice that the appreciation for the D model is still high. I’ve been helping him with a ’64 Slough ID while Janet is up in Brisbane driving our ’74 D Special. Michael now has the funds to get the Slough ID up and running and maybe start on his ’64 Safari. So he will enjoy the Slough ID as much as the French one although the tale of the journey of the French car will always make it interesting.
Luckily there are many on this Froggy forum who enjoy the D’s and haven’t sold them to enjoy the later cars. They are all totally wonderful, and I’m glad of this forum that helps us keep these icons on the road of which one, out of many, happens to be a Cabriolet. When we owned one, we had to contend with the downsides of all convertibles and sports cars - - - wind, rain and cold.
I would like to think that us “Froggies” have these cars mainly to drive and not just something to look at, and drive they do, in all shapes and some sizes. I can say that I enjoy driving all D’s as much as the convertible we had. Recently Michael was asked which car that he owns is his favourite, which he answered - - “ I suppose its the one that I’m driving at that time.
We can all drool at a particular car but aren’t we lucky to be able to enjoy any D model Citroen which is as good as - - - any cabriolet.

I was interested that the Bonham's item said the car was 'mechanically overhauled' by Olivier Houiller this year. I don't think he advertises himself as a DS restorer here in the UK. I'd love to know what he did/ didn't do. For the price paid you (I) would expect a fully documented restoration and rebuild. The Olivier I knew down in Kent was a nice guy - but he wasn't a restorer. He wasn't running a workshop. He sourced cars from France and sold them on - ideally unmolested. He focused on the most desirables: 67s, 68s, 69s. Air France seat belts, Continental Edison radios - that kind of thing. He turned up some great looking cars.

I wouldn't quite put it like that...but...not the best
2 things I'd change with mine would be the hood frame and hood material and David touched on the idea of a Saab electric hood grafted to a DS...would it work I wonder

So brave to say it. I've never seen a photo of one with the top up..... We shouldn't underestimate what someone with pots of money will pay for something they really want. All you need at an auction for a rare "anything" is two of them!!

Naturally, I'm waiting for such people to have an uncontrollable desire for cherry red, C-matics from about 1980...…

To qualify my opinion: while every line and curve of the body shape (and roof line of the saloon) looks like it has been lovingly sculpted and refined, the soft top of a decap looks like a minutes bad work with a broken pencil and dwarfs the cars positive points.